Side wall coring tool



June 6, 1950 C. O. DENNING ETAL SIDE WALL CORING TOOL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l fr 2q fo af 3mm/Www June 5, 1950 c. o. DENNING ETAL 2,510,386

SIDE WALL coRIN TooL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H I f atented June 6, 19.50

ton, Tex.,'assignors to A-l Bit`*`&' Tooli'Conip'any'g* Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application 'January- 24, 1948,. serial No. 4,124' 'J 6 Claims.

Thisdnvention yrelatesto a core taking Vapparatus.

Therinvention disclosed herein embodies certain improvements over. that type oftool disclosed inA co-.pending-- application, .Serial No.

636,936, disclosing.. Side .wall core taking `apparatus,-led in the -United States Patent Oflice December 17, 1945, by applicant, John R. Yancey-v An. objectof the'inventionl is to provide appaf ratus whereby cores,-.or samples, may be cut froml the' side wall of a borehole-and withdrawn to the-groundsurface for inspectionand. which apparatus maybe readilyjarred .loose incaseit shouldbecome stuck .in-the bore in .lowering or removing the tool.

It isanother object of the'invention to provide bled with the'drillstem witl'thewhip stocksus pendeld from the stemiand the core barrel driven f f Vby the stembut' 'wherein the coring tool is ind'ependently vinsertable"intoland withdrawable from the stem while the stem remains inthei'well bore.

Other `objects f and"advantages*will be apparent:

from the following specification which is illustreited f by the accompanying drawings; *wher'ein' Figures 1, 2 and?, are"upper;intermedi'ate'andf" lower sections of'the apparatus 'shown in section.` A` Figure `4 is' a cross-'sectional view taken onthe" Figure is ai cross-sectional view takenon'the Figure u16 isa cross-sectional v4View ltaken-'on the:

a toolof the characterldescribed .wherein provision is made for. thenecessary circulation-of drillinguid through .thejrcore .barrel-.whilethe' core.- is' being `out from-the side wall and which, when the core barrelhas.reached` the-limit of its downward movement, .willV also. allow circulation ofsaid. uid around the'barrel` as wellas'through it.

A further object of the invention is to provide ina sidewall core .drill a .tubular driving assembly with` awhipst'ockha-ving a swivellingfconnectiontherewith, a coredrill mounted in-the assemblyandhaving. adriving connection therewith-1 with a fluid'. passageway. .through :the drill and a seal in the driving assembly through which:

the drill slides withfluid release ports. in the drill whereby the" hydraulic pressuremrequired "to feed the. drill into.A the .formation Vwill be releasedwhen w the. core issecured.

Itis a.still.furth'er vobject of the .invention to. provide y.ina .rotary .type sidewall coredrill for us'ein'boreholes, atubular. driving assembly and.'`

a whip'stock having. aswivelling connection therewith with 'a coredrill.mounted-aXially-in the assemblyand having adrivngconnection therewth'witha Yrestricted kuid passageway through the drill whereby the drill .may be fed out-into th'sidewalllof the :boreby hydraulic:A pressure with auxiliary, lports, in thel drill. and .means 1 to open said ports -to remove? the flowrestriction.

The. invention embodies. a novel type of `-whip stock'for-deectingthe ,core barrel and which is. 1

also. fadapted-` to .engaga-with-the.A core bar-rel. to

withdraw the lcorebarrel fromlthe well shoulditv become. detached.. from vthe. lapparatus during the .core taking. operation..

Inihis'ltypenf. tool, .the core. takingapparatu.s,-,`

including the.lwhipl.stock;. or. deflector, isassem- Figure-7 isa'n elevationalfviewfof' the tool,'-an`d Figureh S'is a' cross-sectional view taken 'onthef-- Referring now `vmore particularly to the-drawingsfthe rnumeral '1 l-designates a" tubulairfdril'lf'- stem-which extends-.to the ground Ysurface-.f` .TheJ4 lower end of the drill fstern. is 'formed-withva special' tubular' driving-section "2-v which is con- .,.nected-to the-drillfstem-.by-the :coupling-3. Thesection .2- has a plurality fof;- inside longitudinal ribs 'fl-extending.. 'from.the.upper end to the lowerl end' thereof and. spaced` apar-tf v Connected to` the t lowerv` .end fof the drivingE section 2 there is-.aninwardly.thickened reducing. nipple-fiand-connected tothe lower endof thenipple4 5 4there. is a coupling 6.whioh containsfan annular packing. ring 1 .which is clamped between... the lower end. of .the nipple..Y 5.and an internal... annular shoulder 8 within the coupling. Therefore. .when L the coupling 601s screwed.f.onto.:.the

nipple.5 the seal ring l .willlbe'fplaced underthe.. required compression.-. lThe passage-way through. the above. described assembly of the nipple 5 and.. f. coupling B..is of substantiallythe.. same-inside diameter throughout.

The whip stock or-deeetor is designatedgenerally bythe numeral 9. .It nasa swivelling connection with the drill stem. This connectionis.-

formed .between the Atubular nipple it, whose upper end ,is connected to the coupling .5, .and

the tubular housingll,whoselower end is connected. .to the whipK stock .9..

The Klower end-.of the nipplelextends into.y theY housing Iluandwithin said housing.is.en.. larged forming. the external, annular, upwardly... facingvfshouldenn 'which-supports an anti-fria.. tion bearing assembly I3 which is retainedfin...

place vby the gland. I4; This .gland is Yscrewed-into `the'lupper.endet-.the housing l-I.

Ccuntersunk into said gland and surrounding the nipple lll there is a seal ring I and beneath said seal ring there are the roller bearings IB mounted in the gland around the nipple Ill.

The lower end of the nipple Ill is supported on the anti-friction bearing assembly V! which, in turn. is supported on an inside annular shoulder lil formed by the inwardly thickened lower end of the housing Il.

Between the lower end of the nipple lll and said housing Il there are the radial roller bearings I9 which are countersunk into the said nipple and countersunk into the inwardly thickened lower end of the housingr H there are the annular seal rings 20.

Screwed into the lower end of the nipple IB there is a tubular hood 2i having an annular inside seat 22 and said hood is provided with iiuid passageways 23 around said seat and passing downwardly therethrough and providing for the free flow of fluid. The seal rings 2Q form fluid tight seals around the lower end of the hood 2l.

An efficient swivel connection is thus formed between the drill stem and the whip stock whereby the latter is supported in the well by the former.

The whip stock as a whole isshown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 and is substantially similar to that type of whip stock shown in the copending application above referred to. It comprises la tubular shell 24 whose lower end is downwardly tapered and above said taper is provided with a longitudinal side slot 25 which extends to its lower end; the upper end of the shell 2@ is connected to the housing Il.

Secured on the outside of the shell opposite said slot there is a longitudinal rib 25 and on opposite sides of the slot there are the longitudinal ribs as 2l which are secured to the outer side of the shell. These ribs 26 and 21 engage the formation. of the well bore to hold the Whip stock centered in the bore hole.

Within the shell 24 there is a guide which is rectangular in cross section. This guide is fitted downwardly within the shell and is composed of side plates 28, 28 whose margins are beveled to it within the shell. and the cross plates 29, 29. The plates 28 and 29 are secured together preferably by welding. This guide is preferably dared downwardly as indicated in Figures 2 and 3. The plates 28 carry a transverse stop 3u which rests on a corresponding transverse stop 3l to support the guide in the shell; said stop 3l being carried by the shell.

Within the guide, and arranged at the lower end thereof, is a deflector plate 32. This plate is arranged opposite the slot 25 and declines forwardly. It is supported by the transverse upper and lower pins 33, 34 which extend transversely through the deector plate and whose ends are anchored to the respective side plates 28.

The lower pin 34 is shearable for a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

'I'he upper face of thisplate, at its lower end, is provided with an insert of hlard wear-resisting material 35 as shown in Figure 3. At the upper end of the deector plate 32 the guide plate 29 is inwardly thickened and is of a general triangular shape in vertical cross-section and whose upper face is approximately iush With the upper f'ace of the deector plate 32 thus forming a guide 36.

Anchored to the front plate 29 of the guide, above the slot 25, there is a exible guide 31 whose lower end is free and is outwardly turned. The slot 25 extends on down and partly across the lower end of the shell 24, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained, and the lower end of said slot beneath the lower end of the deflector plate 32 is closed by a thin metallic skirt 38, as shown in Figure 3, to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the whip stock shell beneath said deflector plate assembly.

The core taker proper will now be described in detail:

Generally speaking, it comprises a bore barrel 39 and a sectional driving stem consisting of the upper tubular section 4t and the lower tubular section 4l. universal coupling designated generally by the numeral 42 and the core barrel is connected to the lower end of the section 4I by a similar universal coupling d3. Only one intermediate section of the driving stem is illustrated, although it is apparent that this number may be varied if found practical. The upper section of the driving stem is formed of the upper and lower tubes 4s, 45. These tubes are connected by an inside coupling 425 which is formed with an external annular stop 4l of a diameter to land on and be supported by the seat 22 as shown in Figure 2.

Screwed onto the upper end of the tube 44 there is a head 48 which has a longitudinal, radially extended, lug 49 adapted to work between the inside ribs 4 of the driving section 2.

The upper end of the head 48 carries a knob 5B provided to be engaged by a grappling tool which may be lowered through the drill stem by means of a wire line.

Located within the tube 45 there is a tubular screen 5l whose upper end is closed. This screen is of smaller diameter than the tube 45 and is perforated throughout its length. Secured to the lower end of this screen 5I there is a tubular valve 52 which fits closely within said tube 45 and is provided with external annular seal rings 53 and 54 which are spaced apart and which form seals with said tube 45. This valve is pinned in place by means of a frangible cross pin 55 and the tube 45 has a plurality of outlet Openings 56 which the valve 52 normally closes.

The screen 5l is provided for the primary purpose of screening out any solid material from the fluid owing downwardly through the driving stem of the core taker.

The universal couplings connecting the sections of the driving stem and connecting the driving stem to the core barrel are similar, as hereinabove indicated. Similar flexible tubes as 5l extend axially through these couplings and the ends of these flexible tubes are anchored in place to the corresponding driving stem sections in any preferred manner as is fully disclosed in the copending application above referred to.

The upper end of the core barrel 39 is screwed onto a coupling 58 and screwed onto the lower end of the barrel there is a core-forming tool or drill 59 having the conventional central corereceiving opening through which the core enters the sample container in the barrel 39.

Mounted on the tubular driving assembly there is a tubular body 60 which is pinned in its upper position to the coupling 6 by means of a, frangible pin 6l. The coupling 6 is provided with the external vertical keyways 62 which extend from the lower end of said coupling to near the upper end thereof where they terminate in the shoulders 63, 63 and anchored to the body 60 are the These sections are connected by a f aemase irrtvaidlyextended#keysI 64 whose-inner'end-s-pro-Vv-Y jecteintov said'A keyways-"to prevent l:the bodyeliilT frometurningrrelative to l-thei tubular' driving: asi-ff'- semblynbut-i which :permit av limited longitudinal f movement-*of vsaid'body'when `the pint 6I isfsheared. 5 Whenythe: body Vlill' is pinnecl in place'- its uppers@v en'df-v Iis l`-spac'edthe required distance above4 ther upper-end ofthe tubular nipple lllfasmore clearlyfi-'f indieatedrin Figure 7 f The lower end ofI4 the-tubularfbody 60 forms" l0 anfianvil and'j it isi alsoprovidedA` with 'th'e clutch@k teethaSS-.ff Y

The upperfendaofffthedgland I 4 forms an impact fhammerand isi' also'pro'vided' with tlieclutchV teetlr: i 661.* Y 15 In operation` the operating string;..l ,V with@ the' whim stockl apparatus suspended therefrom', may l beloweredr tofffthef desired "location in "the :well f soasto' locateethef whip 'stock :at thefpoint where." a simple is to be taken. The sample-taker may: 20 thenfbe dropped-` through; the `string orir it fmay be lowered Vthrough the-"stringbyf` a wiref'i'line releasably'fconnected to thev knob '15!)5V Thellower end:offtheJ-core-barrel=wi11f land on, and Vbe de# flectedfby, the' deector plate't ofthe whip'stock- 25 asrindicated Yin Figure 3.1 The1"eXible-g'iiide 'i311 willoperate to vguide the `core"barrelrlandfhold it' i in-thepropr' angular relation.

When, lowered to'th'e position' to begintakiiiga coreItheoperatinggstring may be'rotatedland 30 thef'whipstocldwill be fheld against rotation' s -Y ther-engagement" offtlecore cutterhead 55 wit thenformatio'n while" the'"core' -talierwill` be'Y fro-'fV taint-Sdv by the'ffengagem'ent of thedriving?'fsectioriv3 2 with thelug'llfofithehadill 85 Fluid pressure may be applied by a pump ai?El the ground' 'surfaegthoughlthe operating string and against-fthefhead-iE-fithus gradually forcing the core taker downwardly as it is rotated and a bore will be formed bythe"4 cutter head 59 in 40 thefside wallvof-'the-fwellA bore and a core; or sample, will be taken and forcedintothefcoree receiving chamber ofrthe corebarrel39.v

While the" coring'operation is being carried on,

uid willenter through a side opening Y61 in the 45 heald4fand'will-paSs-on down through the driv-f ngtem'hM," 45 -ands'through'the"V screen 'El'andt onf-down4 around ythe sample in the `core barrel t0 theecutt'er head-Muto -lubricate-and cool said cutter:- head59and"carry"away the cuttings; 'if hov`v"ev'er,L itewill: benoted' from' van' 'inspection' of" Figure 'lL that the -upper-V tube Mof the driving" stem is provided with radial openings S8 which, upon beginning of coring operations, are above the seal ring 1 but they will eventually pass, through said seal ring and beneath it upon completion of the core and thereupon a portion of the drilling fluid will pass out through the openings 68 and around the driving stem and on down through the fluid passageways 23 and around the core former. The coupling 6, opposite the openings 68 may be lined with a sleeve, or liner, 6a of wear resisting material.

When the core barrel has reached the limit of its downward movement the annular stop 41 will land on the seat 22 to stop the further downward movement of the core taking apparatus. Attention is called to the fact that while taking the core the deflector is suspended from the operating string and is held at substantially the same level during the coring operation and, therefore, means for anchoring the deiiector to the walls of the bore hole are not necessary and are dispensed with. During the coring operation the string I is rotated to rotate the coring apparatus but is 'filet moved fdownwardlylginf the borefholeV In carryingfon corlng op'erationsf'the core: bar-1A rel 39f-maybecome detached from the"apparatuswgI and-*for Ythat 'reason' the `upper end ofsaid barrel is enlarged/forming an'external-annular shoulder f 69f=and the lower endof-th`e-'slot25"is narrowed and the lower end of the barrel is of a diameter to-w i'ltsnugly'fthrough Athe narrowed end of theV side slot 25 `sos-that'fshould the barrel become de-'r'Y tached"v it vwill not-- be 'lost in the well but upon upward movement off the 'whipfstock the pin-34 willbe shearedy andfthe deflector 32xvwillswingr-f on` the pin-f33l to vertical position and the thin skirt-38willbe vdisplaced andthe lower endzofir v th l.shell 24 on'voppositey sides of the slot -25 will; 1 engage rthevshoulder 9 'and' the corebarrel f 39 f 'if will be 'fwithdr'awn as the apparatus'; isk removed/ff fromfth'e Wellbore;

During, coring 1' operations strongy gas pressure :f

is sometimes?encountered which; if uncontrolled-L;-

maycause afblowout'.

In case such'f'fpressurefis :encountered-fthe;pump; attheaground-surfacepwliich` forces the drillingv e u-id down through` thedrill stem, may be 'speeded up' thus 'increasing the pressure lagainstthe upper' endl of theA screen 5l'` su'cientito shear the pint., 55 and said screen will be moved-r@downwardlyf:` carrying?v the'valve '52;-'beneath the'openingSz. 5t and: this -will fallow' thei flowof additional drilling;-v fluid fdownA 'througl'i the. drill stem and. on `downxzl through ftlie `whip vsto'ck'so as to -build up 'pres sure fin the well sulcientf' to vovercome said: gasif!` pressure:

In@lowering` the drill stemE andv whip sto'cl "ir1-to thef/Welli, ores in'f withdrawing :the -same from: the', welljthe apparati-isi may beeomelfstuck in ithew'e'll:l bores-f Ifthei body Y 65) v:becomes VVAstuckl the fdrillaf stem Yay ibef'pulled upwardly thus'fcausings.- th pirit tofshearand-causingithe h'a'mme'rlto strik the anvilthus, possiblydarring said body loose;4- Byelowerin'g the drillstemandsuddenly movin'gf:` it upwardlyfathesefstrokes .-maybe'irepeate'd until-.o the vbod-yfis released..

It n'iayfshapperry that the A'whip'` 'stoekie .maybec; comeflrstuck intheI-bor'e' andi suchlev'ent th drilli stem krnayibe loweredgLI-shearmgf the pinivdp. fandcarryingbtheteeth 65?"2into mesh withthe teeth'r and"thereupon by turning the' drill istein spondinglyd turned back-i and: forth until .it `has"- beenhv released and? f vbe withdrawn; or the whip stock may lbef-jarredidownwardly Vby falter; f nately taking a tension on, and releasing, the drill stem so as to 4cause the anvil to successively strike the hammer.

In the manner above indicated the whip stock may often be released and removed from the well bore in case it should become stuck.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be the preferred form of the invention. This disclosure, however, is by Way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be dened by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A core taking device for wells comprising; a whip stock including a shell having a side opening and a deflector in the shell; an `operating string having a rotatable :connection with the whip stock; la core taker including a barrel and a driving stem adapted to be lowered through the operating string into co-acting relation with the deector to deilect the barrel through the opening, said driving stem having an inlet opening Y in communication with said operating string and a side outlet opening; a tubular valve in the stem; frangible means normally holding said valve in position to close said side outlet opening; a tubular screen connected to the valve and extending up into the driving stem; a, driving connection between the string and stem whereby the stem and barrel may be rotated.

2. Sample taking apparatus for wells comprising, a deflector, a tubular operating string having a rotatable connection with the deiiector and having an inside annular stop, a sample taker including a barrel and driving stem adapted to be lowered through the string into co-operating relation with the deector to deilect the barrel, said sample taker having a channel for uid therethrough and also having an external stop arranged to land on said internal stop to arrest the downward movement of the sample taker, said driving stem having an inlet in communication with said operating string and a side outlet opening, packing means between said driving stem and said operating string adapted to close said outlet opening when said stops are out of contact and to open said outlet opening to permit the passage of fluid downwardly through said string about said stem when said stops are in Contact.

3. A core taking apparatus comprising, a whip stock; an operating string of pipe to the lower end of which the whip stock has a swivelling connection; a core taker including a driving stem formed of sections flexibly connected together and a core barrel ilexibly connected to the stem to be moved laterally, by the Whip stock into the side wall of a well bore upon downward movement of the core taker; said driving stem having an inlet port in communication with said operating string and a side outlet port; a sleeve Valve in the stem; frangible means connecting said valve to said stem in position to close said side port; a screening element on the Valve formed with an area against which the pressure iiuid flowing through the stem may act to shear said connecting means to allow .a downward movement of the valve to open said side port and means for rotating the core taker from the string.

4. In a rotary type side wall core drill for use in bore holes, a tubular driving stem, a whipstock, a swivelling connection between said stem and said whipstock, a core drill mounted axially in said stem, and a driving connection between said stem and said drill, a restricted fluid passage- Way through said drill whereby said drill may be fed out into said side wall by hydraulic pressure, auxiliary ports in said drill, and means to open said ports to remove the flow restriction.

5. Sample taking apparatus for wells comprising, a deflector, a tubular operating string, a rotatable connection between said deector and said string, .an inside stop in said string, a sample taker including a barrel and driving stem adapted to be lowered through the string into co-operating relation with the delector to deflect the barrel, a driving connection between said sample taker and said string, said sample taker having a restricted channel for fluid therethrough and also having an external stop arranged to land on said internal stop to arrest downward movement of the sample taker and co-operating means between the string and stem to remove said restriction when the core taker lands in said arrested position.

6. In a side wall core drill for use in bore holes, lan operating string of pipe, a tubular driving stem connected to said string and slidably disposed axially in said string to form therewith an annular passage about said stem, a whipstock, a swivelling connection between said string and said whipstock, a core drill ilexibly connected to said stem to be moved laterally by the Whip-Y stock into the side wall of a well bore upon downward movement of said stem, said stem having an inlet in communication with said string and an outlet communicating with said passage, and sealing means in said passage eiective in one position of said stem to close said outlet and in another position of said stem to open said outlet.

CHARLES O. DENNING.

JOHN R. YANCEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,804,819 Spencer et al May 12, 1931 2,055,018 Raymond Sept. 22, 1936 2,098,491 Foster etal Nov. 9, 1937 2,176,375 McClinton Oct. 17, 1939 2,324,682 DeLong July 20, 1943 2,358,470 Oswald Sept. 19, 1944 2,391,869 Bandy Jan. 1, 1946 

